Photographer

Wild Dog

Wild dog (painted wolf) are highly intelligent animals. They live in packs resulting in them being amongst Africa’s most successful hunters. They apply their large numbers to help chase down and ambush prey. I was fortunate to see two hunts, one successful one not. It was fascinating to see how they choreograph a hunt. They rely on their endurance, in some chases chasing down prey for miles until eventually it’s too exhausted to carry on and the dogs rush in. They have to eat once a day as there are many mouths to feed and they exert a lot of energy while hunting.

It has been a dream of mine to see wild dog and I finally got the chance in Botswana in 2019. I followed the lives of Ash pack that lives in the Okavango Delta for 3-4 days. In that short time, I witnessed a number of special moments and observed different characteristics amongst individuals. I was captivated by their presence and they make for a wonderful photographic subject. I tried to tell the story of the dogs’ lives displaying their beauty, social structure and the raw power that they possess. They are a finely-tuned predator, perfectly suited for their environment.